Silenced: The Tragedy of Taregosu Maya
by Skye Parlot
Summary: Prequel to “Risen.” Step back a hundred years into the times of the great continental wars. Taregosu Maya escapes the facist reformation of the Southern Continent and begins a world-wide revolution for peace. A tale of how one person can make a difference
1. Moonlight Innocence

Disclaimer- Nothing Naruto is so far in this story, but because it exists in the plane, Naruto is (c) Masashi Kishimoto, as are his characters, and the plain and which this story exists.

As of right now, though, all towns, landmarks, and characters are my own. Hehe.

**Welcome to my next journey, everybody. As I've said, this is the prequel to "Risen" and I hope that everyone enjoys this story as I try to take us on a Naruto adventure a hundred years into the past.**

**Comments are ALWAYS appreciated and I'll see you for chapter two! (Preview later in the week)**

* * *

**SILENCED- THE TRAGEDY OF TAREGOSU MAYA  
**

**Chapter One**

**Moonlight Innocence**

* * *

She picked her head up from the table as her named was shouted from across the way. Resting in the small park in the late afternoon had become routine for her after a long morning of work at the library, but it comforted her to see her best friend managing her way towards her through the crowd. She giggled to herself as the shorter,_significantly shorter_, blonde haired, blue eyed girl got pushed around in the crowd of the summer day in the park. She approached her tired friend, fixing her short, chin-length hair, removing strands from her face. Her smile was as warm as the day, itself.

"Napping as usual, Maya?" She laughed as her long-timr friend grunted and rested her head in her folded arms once again. "Oh, come on!" She nudged Maya on the shoulder. "You can't tell me you're _this_ tired. You only work six hours in a day, and you're still paid very well, better than I make at my job!"

"Remember, Taguchi," she reminded her friend, half-muffling into her arms. "I've had this job for almost three years, now. It's not my fault you can't keep in one place." Her beautiful green eyes fluttered open once more and focused on the girl hovering over her, a smirk escaping her lips.

"Really now," Taguchi barked back. "Is it really necessary to bring that up? I mean, I know I can't sit still and all, especially at a job, but you don't have to rub it in. I'm perfectly happy going here and there and trying new things." She walked around to the opposite side of the table and sat herself down in the other chair, placing her small handbag on the ground beside her. "Speaking of commitment, Maya," she continued. Maya lifted her head up and moved her wavy, deep blue hair from her eyes. "Has he asked you to marry him yet?"

She shot up, sitting with upright posture for probably the first time in over an hour. "Gracious, no!" She laughed to herself and placed her hand to her cheek. She frequently daydreamed of marriage and the moment her true love would propose to her, but that day still hadn't arrived. "I mean, he's been so busy with duty, lately. It seems as though whenever he gets home, he's back out again the next day."

"That's what you get," Taguchi teased her. "You're a ninja, Maya, you're training under the very best, and you had to go fall in love with some military brat whose belt is on too tight. Come now, Maya, you're seventeen years old. You've been with this boy for nearly three years, it's about time. Really."

"I know," Maya admitted. "My mother's even been telling me I need to keep the family going. Unfortunately, I'm the last hope for the Taregosu clan." She turned to her friend with a chuckle. "It's a drag, really, knowing both your parents were only children and well, here I am with the pressure of a clan on my back."

"No offense, honey, but it isn't really much of a clan." Maya nodded her head, agreeing with your friend.

"I don't take offense, Taguchi. It's not like there's any special ability in my blood. Rather.." She looked up to the sky, bright blue with white clouds scattered about as the sun peered down on her in pieces, through the tree beside the table. "Reputation."

"I know, Maya. I know, I hear the stories of your father all the time. If I don't hear them from the historians, I hear them from you," they laughed. After a moment, Maya caught her breath and continued.

"Sometimes I wonder if I'm doing the right thing. I know, these privledges were important to my father, but times are changing now, Ta-san. I've been entrusted with a lot of responsibility, but sometimes I just wonder if it'll ever come to fruition nowadays."

"Pfft," her friend replied. "And you tell me I'm all over the place? Girl, you're as unsure as the weather!" She reached over the table and placed a hand on Maya's shoulder. "Your father left you with a gift. Ninjutsu is a dying study nowadays, and to be able to know everything you know living with your father's legacy, you could do so much good in the world! Nothing your father did will ever be forgotten, Maya, nothing you ever learn will, either." Maya smiled, blushing behind her hands as she hid her face behind her forearms once again.

"Thanks, Taguchi."

"Hey, you know I'm good for talking up a storm. Anytime."

"Yeah. I think it's about time you shut up, though. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Taguchi stood up, grabbing her bag and resting the strap on her shoulder.

"I'm already there, hon." The two laughed as they made their way from the park to their favorite bakery.

* * *

The rickety fence at the entrance of the village was as old as ever. Every piece of it seemed to creak in the slightest of breezes. It was old, run-down, short, and really didn't keep anyone out, but it was a sign of longevity. The little village of Jitoya, a small trade stop along the great Etsuai River, had lasted everything thrown its direction. It had survived droughts and storms, floods and famines, wars and battles. This was the two hundredth years of his precious village.. 

..And he was excited every time he got to come home again.

He dropped his bag at his side, solid black and filled with all of his equipment. His brown boots were dirtied and worn out from his missions and his training. His black pants were fringed and torn up along the bottom as they fit snug, ending a couple of inches over the boots. He wore a sleeveless forest green shirt, bright in comparison to the rest of him as it stood out surrounded by the black. Even his hair was short, spiked and black, and his brown eyes were really dark enough so that they seemed one in the same.

The sun beat down on him heavily as he tried to wipe his forehead dry, only to manage pushing the sweat around his forehead. His forearm has already been just as sweaty. "So damn hot," he said to himself, trying to fan himself with his right hand. He looked up at the archway of the old fence and a wooden board with "JITOYA" scratched into the frame. He smiled to himself at the simplicity of it all. He had probably seen this sign a hundred times in his life, and as old as it was and as old as it kept getting, it didn't. It never got old; he never grew tired of being back home.

"Home, sweet home." he sighed to himself, eyeing about the village. It was a small community of only a few hundred people. The houses and apartments were towards the front of the village, while the restaurants, municipals and the park were more towards the back. In the center of town, a small fountain with a little cherub spewing water from his lips. God only knew how old _that_ piece was.

He wasn't surprised that there were hardly any townsfolk out in the streets at this time. The heat was too brutal. He had been out traveling in it for hours and all he cared about was getting the hell out of it. He was thirsty, but, more importantly to him, he was_tired_. He wanted to get home, change out of these wretched clothes, and pass out on his bed. This seemed like it would have proven simple enough considering his house was the small, blue hut in the front of the village; the third on the right. He actually wished he could have ignored the person running towards him yelling his name and just made a dash for the house. He didn't, though. He couldn't.

"Suito!" the little boy exclaimed, running towards him at full speed as if he was the kid's father. This brought a smile to his face as he knelt down, extending his arms for the boy to jump into. The little boy leapt forcefully into his arms and he lifted him high into the air before catching him, spinning around once, and then placing him on the ground gently. The fiery red-head looked up at Suito, his eyes a happy bright-green, his smile big and wide.

"What's going on, buddy?" Suito spoke quietly. His voice was gentle and smooth.

"I missed you!" the little boy kept a tight grip on his leg. "Mommy and Daddy said you went out on a mission."

"I sure did," Suito replied. "Does your mommy and daddy know you're all the way out here, Kiro?"

"No," the boy replied shyly.

"Then maybe," Suito laughed, patting the boy on the head. "You should go back home and not scare them by running off like that." Sun stood up and brushed his pants off. "I'm going home, anyway, Kiro. I'm really, really tired." The boy nodded as Sun picked up his equipment bag and began to basically limp over towards his home, exhausted from the miles upon miles he had trekked this morning.

"Suito-sempei!"

Suito turned around to face the boy one more time. "What is it, Kiro?"

"You're still the bestest, coolest teacher ever!" The boy bowed, smiling and then turned and ran back towards his house, a few down in the opposite direction. Suito watched as Kiro disappeared down the road and he laughed to himself, shaking his head.

"Thanks, kid," Suito looked behind him, up at the rickety old sign once more. "It's been a couple of months," he reminded himself. He tried to think of all the things he needed to catch up on now that he was back, and, still, stronger than ever, his original temptation had the upper-hand on anything else.

"Sleep."

* * *

"You're only getting tea??" Taguchi asked as she placed a place with a small piece of cheesecake in front of her. "How could you possibly do that? The desserts here are fantastic!" 

Maya chuckled as she took a sip of her tea. "I'm not all really that hungry right now. Rika-sensei offered me some breakfast when I got into work today, so it's kind of holding me over for now."

"Damn girl," Taguchi remarked. "They even _feed_ you, too! You have the life girl. You live in a nice home with your mother, you make a great deal of money and people always take care of you, and you're skilled with ninjutsu, the only remaining to our village!"

"Thanks," Maya paused after her answer, her glass at her lips. Did she really have the life? How could what she had possibly _be_ the life? She couldn't figure that part out.

"Maya? Is everything alright?"

"Oh! Yeah, yeah," she waved shyly to her friend. "I've just been thinking a lot lately, that's all. My mind likes to wander, you know that."

"You sure everything's alright?"

"Yeah, just," she took a moment, swirling her glass slowly, trying to think of the best way to word her explanation. "You say that I have 'the life', but I just don't see it. I mean, yes, I'm well off, and yes I have an ability unique to this village, but I lost my father and brother during the invasion of Kelios in the meantime. Was it nice that the military sent funds and benefits our way, yes, it was quite generous. But it doesn't make up for the fact that they were killed out there, leaving me and my mom to live on our own all of a sudden."

"They were heroes, Maya. They died for what they believed in," her friend tried to support her.

"I know, it's just.." Maya took a deep breath. "Even my talents, the way of the ninja, are diminishing, Taguchi-san. Since the Revolution, General Taotsu's military prowess has slowly taken over our land, and the need for our abilities are steadily declining." She lowered her head, shaking it ever so gently. "The only reason my father went to Kelios was to aide my brother in his first infantry mission." She giggled to herself. "It's funny how, in a family known for their history in ninjutsu, that my father's first-born child would abandon these arts for the military," she looked up to Taguchi. "I guess that just tells you how much times have really changed."

"Yeah," Taguchi responded. "So, then, why did you father even go to help?"

"Taotsu had asked all able-bodied ninja to help trap the enemy and prevent escape as they expanded our rule and the borders of our nation. But after the first wave, a second flank came in from the back and ambushed our front. My father was assassinated in the battle. My brother died trying to save him."

Taguchi lowered her head, trying to think of something to say.

"It's been almost four months since that incident, and still, even today, the Revolution is as strong as ever." She took a moment to sip her drink as she gazed up at the clouds, where she would constantly find herself every time she thought of her lost family.

"Rame was very brave, and I don't think he'd want you to be so sad over what he did. He died for his country, for you, and for your mother and father."

"Thanks," Maya said gratefully.

"I mean, everywhere I go, I hear the names Taregosu Sun and Taregosu Rame. They're heroes to this village and you should be proud!" She banged her fist hard onto the table, rattling her chopsticks and her plate and glass. Maya blushed to herself and smiled.

"I am proud," she quietly answered.

"Good! Now have some of this cheesecake!" They shared a chuckle.

Maya was okay with her brother and father. She was proud of them and loved them so very much, always keeping them in her heart, but the Revolution had taken a third person in her life into the forces..

And_he_ was the one she feared to lose..

"Hey, Maya!" Taguchi shouted, holding up her glass. "Come on, girl, it's the end of the week! Let's toast to the weekend!" Maya cracked a smile. "That's my girl. Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

* * *

Their wine glasses clanked with a subtle 'Ping!' that rang out in the air as it diminished into nothing. 

"Another successful takeover."

"Yes, to another!"

Two men sat across from each other at a table while a third dressed in black and white bowed his head and left the room, carrying off the tray on which the two beverages had been placed.

"Thank you again, Dami." The first man said with a wave of his left hand. His servant responded with a simple nod and wave back, not stopping to turn and face him. This first man, heavy-set and balding with patches of red hair around his ears, leaned back in his chair, pondering the events of the week. He tapped his index finger along the side of the wine glass while the rest of his short, stubby fingers gripped it tightly. He wore a couple of rings on his fingers. Many bands were pillaged and stolen, the only gold one rest on his left ring finger; his wedding band. After he took his next sip, he swirled the ice cube in the glass around and opened his deep brown eyes to his partner.

"Come now, Taotsu. No need to be distressed. The Revolution is running perfectly to plan. Take a moment to relax, boy."

"We're not finished yet, Gaeo," the general remarked. "There's still a lot more work yet to do. Our mission is far from complete." He took a sip of his wine and the carefully placed the glass on the table. Taotsu stood up, in his modern-day black suit. It seemed to stretch over his extremely thin figure as, from head to toe, he was lined in black. The only color to him was the white shirt he wore under his unbuttoned jacket, the red badge in the shape of a star on his coat, and his red eyes, clashing against his slick backed, silver hair, tied and hung in a pony-tail. Taotsu was an intimidating figure of about six feet tall, significantly over his chubby counterpart, and his glowing, red eyes were his most distinguishable quality, though, now, they were much more calm and complacent.

"Take a moment to relax, my boy. Our military is second to none and our plans will continue on without fail. I don't think taking a day to relax will do any harm, now relax." Nonetheless, Taotsu paced about the room, occasional looking out the window towards the shore and the ocean, to the north. "We've expanded as far east as we can, right up to the Atrion Mountains. The Kosoki desert is to the west, with other civilizations far west of that, but their democracy is of no worry to us, and sending battalions hundreds of miles across that terrain is suicide. All that's left is South, and then we can go North, and expand our region into the Northern Continent."

"And that is when," Taotsu finished. "We will unite the remaining colonies and nations of the world." He walked back over to the table and reached for his glass. "A Revolution for World Wide Unity. People governed under one force, to live as one unit," Taotsu took a sip of wine, then continued to gaze out the window. "This army.. my Blood Moon army continues to fight for this cause, and then, when our objective is reached, the army will be disbandoned, and the world will have peace, once again, under one rule."

"Our rule," Gaeo toasted again. Taotsu simply nodded. "We're doing a great thing, Taotsu. The Revolution will be a success, and a cause history will speak of for centuries." He pulled out from the pocket of his shirt a cigar and lit it over the candle on the table. "How much further South do we have to go?"

"Along the Etsuai River." Taotsu explained. "The river stretches three hundred miles, starting in the hills of Usemi in the south, flowing through the forests of the south, flowing north past many villages and docks, through our main military city and into the Continental Ocean. So far we've been slowly expanding our way South, uniting towns and villages under our grounds in exchange for trade, resources, and any other needs."

"The basis of our charity being to win over the village and dispel possible rebellions."

"Exactly," Taotsu exclaimed. "Many of these villages are being hit hard because of the heat waves and subsequent droughts in the land. Any help would be appreciated and therefore, any doubts previous followed up would be overlooked during these desperate times." Taotsu chugged the rest of his wine and, slamming the glass down, raised his arms high. "This is the time for the world to come together, united as one faction, under one rule, to strive towards a conformed and single power."

"I can only hope that those to our north see the revolution and our Unity Act as we do." Gaeo added. "They've been known to be stubborn in our trade agreements, and I worry that a resistance act up there might prove to be an obstacle."

"We will rely on our military power," Taotsu replied. "The reason we have the remaining continental ninja act as liason to our mission is to expand military without civilian casualty, and complete the transition to unified military force."

"Unified?" Gaeo sat up in his chair. "You mean you want.."

"Yes," Taotsu scoffed. "Those leading the way in the arts of ninjutsu are a threat to the revolution and a possible source of rebellion within our system. Those skilled in battle will be 'paid,'" he said, using his fingers as quotations, "for their service. Those who happen to die in battle will have their families sponsored and aided throughout our movement and will be taken care of to unsure approval of the nations."

"You're.. you're sending them to their deaths, basically."

"Those that die, yes," the glow in Taotsu's eyes finally revealed itself as the dark general finally spoke his dark purpose. "Those that survive… would, how should we say… Be ambushed."

Gaeo exhaled a puff of smoke from his lips as he listened on to General Taotsu's decree.

"By Revolution's end, the ninja arts of the Southern Regions will be all but extinct. The Blood Moon Army will be the strongest source of power in the world, and no opposing force will ever be able to stop it." A smile crept onto his lips. "Tomorrow at dawn," he shouted out confidently, putting his index finger to a continental map on the wall, drawing it south from the main city along the Etsuai River. "We will have a very important objective on our hands. There is one here in our next destination, a rare find. One skilled at the highest level of ninjutsu, and our objective is to capture them and use their abilities for our purposes."

"And if they object?"

"Simple," Taotsu's red eyes flared as he drew a pocket knife from his pocket, flicked it in the air and, in one swift motion, caught it, opened it, and, one the backhand, swung it into the map, landing on target. Gaeo got up from his seat and peered towards the map, trying to get a closer look. Taotsu merely laughed to himself and Gaeo made out the name of the next target, cut in half on the map.

JIT--/-- OYA

* * *

Their lips met numerous times as they spun around in each other's arms. The atmosphere was perfect for the romantic setting; a cool summer evening with a slight breeze tracing the air. The river flowed calmly north as the only lightning was the water's reflection of the moon and the constellations strewn across the sky. This was the only light necessary and Taregosu Maya and Kakamei Suito expressed their love in the beautiful moonlight. They giggled and ran about the riverside, hugging and tackling each other into the grass. It was a true love the fates would be proud of. 

Maya got the upper hand on this instance and was able to get her love to the ground, pinning him under herself as she sat up on his stomach.

"That's what you get for not telling me you were coming home today."

"Give it a rest," he smirked. "I needed a nap. Besides, I figured I should take a hot bath before I saw you. You wouldn't want a dirty boy greeting you, would you?"

"Most certainly not!" She giggled and leaned in to kiss him, over and over. She let him sit up as she got up from him and sat by his side, gripping his hand in hers. He smirked, winking at her, then pulled her down to the ground with her. She squealed out in surprise and they now laid on the ground together, on their shoulders, facing each other. They laughed for a while in sheer happiness and, once they had calmed down, she scooted closer to him and put her free arm around him.

She put her hands so gently at his back as she lay comfortably in the grass, her eyes locked on his. At her side, she felt he could do no wrong. He was so amazing, so romantic, so perfect. His deep brown eyes brought shivers to her spine, his brilliant gaze was just exhilarating! She giggled like a child and nuzzled her cheek gently against his chest, listening to his relaxing heartbeat. The cool spring night had surrounded them with the cooing of night doves, the chirping of crickets, and the wafting and soothing flow of the Etsuai, the blue, ever clear road that would lead them back home after this perfect, romantic evening.

"I love you so much," she confessed, taking a deep breath, inhaling his scent. The girl, young and innocent, kissed his chest where his heart beat softly, and he smirked, brushing her hair. She looked up at him and chuckled, picking loose blades of grass from his short hair. His eyes followed her finger caution\usly and, upon seeing the grass, shook his head to himself and smirked.

"It's not like it's going to do anything to me."

"Yeah," she giggled, running her fingers down his cheek. "But you look so much better without it," she kissed him, and they continued to kiss for minutes on end. After a few moments of passion, followed by the soothing calm of the river, Maya confessed her worry to her love.

"You'll be home a while, right?"

"Of course, Maya-chan." He answered with his soothing voice and tone that she fell in love with. "I have no reason to go anywhere, and my next retreat isn't scheduled for a couple of weeks." He sighed and smiled at her; they were both completely unaware of the dangers that lurked right ahead, with the coming of the dawn..

So, at peace, she rolled onto her back, sighing contently to herself, her hand in his… his.. Him… her true love.. Her… soon-to-be… hopefully… husband… looking up together to the stories of infinite galaxies.

* * *

**To Be Continued...**

**Chapter Two- Escape Into Dreams**

* * *


	2. Escape Into Dreams

Hey everybody. Sorry it's a little late, but here's chapter two! It's not all too long, but that's because I wanted to end where I did. I have a lot planned for chapter three, which will probably be the longest chapter of the selection, so just hang tight until then, that's where most of the juicy details of the story will take place. Until then, enjoy chapter two.

Comments would be loved and appreciated, let me know what you think. Remember, this is a prequel, and not everything has been answered yet, and probably will be answered in chapters three through five, so... let's see where it goes. I'm just as excited as some of you are, probably!

Happy Reading

skye.

* * *

-**Chapter Two- Escape Into Dreams**

The soft chirping of birds greeted her in the morning. She opened her eyes to the rising sun and the warmth of an early-summer blessing. She rolled over at first, evading the sun and the sparrow's melody, muttering under her breath something along the lines of "five more minutes." Nonetheless, the little bird remained determined, and its fluttering song danced in the tranquil air, enough for young Maya to crack a smile and she kept her eyes forcefully closed.

"Silly bird," she commented, giving in and stretching her body out across the bed, groaning the sleepiness away. She rolled back over towards the window, shielding her eyes for the sun and, at the same time, trying to peer out and find the sparrow. After an unsuccessful moment or search, she sat up in bed. Again she stretched her arms up in the air, moaning once more. After a few seconds of blinking and unmoving appreciation of waking up, she wearily got on her two feet and stumbled over towards the window. The sunlight was strong, but not overpowering, and, putting her hands on the ledge, stuck her head out the window, her long hair a wreck, her pink night shirt in wrinkles. "Birdie," she called out in the direction of the tree that stood by her window. In the second branch from the bottom, the little sparrow tilted its head at her, hopping a little closer as it chirped 'good morning!'

Maya's smile touched upon her lips. "Hello there," she leaned out a little further. The sparrow gazed at her, confused, turning its head bird-like in different directions as its eyes met her. It let out a quick, soft chirp. "You're up early," she giggled as she reached out towards the creature, her left hand slowly and steadily out towards the sparrow. "Would you like to sing?" Her smile was pure, her innocence so vibrant and true. The sparrow fluttered its wings as it chirped in response. It hopped towards her slowly, and her eyes lit up at the beautiful little bird. Suddenly, though, it chirped the last of its song and it jumped into the air and fluttered away into the distance, leaving a trail of melody behind it.

Maya's eyes followed the bird as it disappeared over and around the other apartments. She kept her hand held out and she returned it back to her side very slowly. She smirked to herself, "Hmph," She kept her gaze out onto the village, where only a couple of people were awake and about on this Saturday morning. "Silly, silly bird," she reminded herself.

_"Always you and the birds, ain't it? I'm not good enough for you?"_

The voice echoed in her mind. She knew immediately who it was. She leaned back in from her window and sat down by her bed on the little blue carpet she kept. She clasped her hands together, then made two quick hand signs before placing her right hand over her left and plummeting them both onto the floor.

"Summoning Jutsu!" she said sternly, yet still quietly. A puff of smoke lifted from the floor boards, and as it disappeared, the silhouette of a slightly larger bird appeared. The smoke gave way to a green parrot with bright blue eyes and three multi-colored feathre standing up on the top of its head almost like a mohawk. His wings were tipped red as were the tip of his tail feathers. On his belly, a crescent moon made of blue feathers stood out. Maya smield every time he talked, and every time she saw him. He was probably her favorite summon, though she wouldn't ever tell any of her others that.

"Rawk! One bird ain't ever enough for ya', ain't it?" the green little fellow squaked out in his raspy, accented tone.

Maya giggled softly and reached out to pet him, "Oh shush." She stroked the upright feathers on his head. "You know I like birds."

"Yeah yeah yeah, and your attitude is for da birds, too!" He cooed softly into her petting. "Still at home? Maya, baby, ya' gotta get out into the world. Dere's so much to do!" He hopped back from her hand a moment and stretched out his wings.

"Rawk!" It yelped and whistled. "You deserve to see the world. Your fatha' woulda' wanted it."

"I can't just leave, Iris," Maya admitted, offering him a smile. "My heart is here, at home, with my mom and with my friends. Suito is here, now, from his mission. My heart, it's with him, too. I can't just leave him behind."

"No, but it's okay for him to, eh?" He hopped over and perched on Maya's knee, reaching up and tapping her cheek lightly with his wing. "Enough of this, Maya! You got da' whole world outside yer windows! Give it a chance at least. Yeah, dese people love ya, but, they ain't gonna give you the world unless you step out there foist." She laughed softly at his pertruding accent. "Rawk! You're a young woman now, Maya, and you've grown so much from when we first met. I just want what's best for ya, y'know?" Maya nodded her head and smiled. "Dat's what I wanna hear, now!"

"You're such a funny bird," Maya replied, petting him once again.

"Ey, I try." Iris responded quietly, leaning into her petting. "So, what's for breakfast, eh?"

"Eh, I don't know. I was going to eat at work because my mom left for her shop already, but I suppose we can drop by the bakery real fast if you're hungry, too."

"Yeah," Iris whistled. "I'm starving. I could go for some-a-dose treats they got dere."

Maya laughed. She placed Iris on the ground and motioned him towards the window. "Get some fresh air. I'm going to get ready." Iris squawked in response and fluttered out the window onto a branch of the nearby tree. There, he whistled to himself and stroke up conversations with the locals.

Maya spent the next few minutes readying herself for the day. She brushed her long, beautiful hair, and wore a matching, sky blue head band to hold it in place. She wore a white, buttoned shirt with ruffled, short sleeves and beige cargo pants that dropped to just above her ankles. She was always a modern girl, and didn't like to dress in the fancy clothes "of the times," that the well-off could easily afford. She felt it just wasn't her. She wore black sandals with a black, silk ribbon to tie around her ankle. She was beautiful, an angel among many.

She glanced herself quickly in the mirror, smiling at her appearance as she placed a sparkling, gold necklace around her neck. It was a gift from Suito on their one-year anniversary a good ways back. Now that she thought about it, it was almost two years, now. She had hoped to see him after work, and maybe they could catch some dinner together or, if nothing else, another walk along the river. Thinking about last night, she laughed to herself.

"Maybe white wouldn't be the best thing to wear. Wouldn't want to get grass stains on it if push came to shove." She unbuttoned her shirt and took it off, folded it, and placed it in the first drawer of her dresser. As she reached for her green shirt, a familiar voice fluttered into the room.

"Hey, ya done yet?"

Maya turned and screamed! "Iris!"

"Rawk!!"

* * *

"What's the meaning of this?" Suito stood, tattered and sweaty, coming back from his morning workout. His head was up, looking at a man on horseback, outfitted in a red military dress and, behind him, at least a hundred more stood poised, proud, determined. Only the border of the village, and the old decrepit sign divided them. A few villagers had gathered behind Suito at this time, gazing in awe at the platoon before their eyes. On the black horse sat General Arius Akino, lead man to Kyoko Taotsu, and probably the most sinister man on the force. Shiro could write books and books on the bad experiences he had in the force when Akino was in charge.

"Kenzaburo Suito." He said in his deep, intimidating voice. Akino's voice carried and projected itself far. He was truly a powerful man in every aspect. "Going through your morning workout, I see. You've always been the diligent worker in my platoon."

"What's the meaning of this, General?" Suito was still catching his breath, and now trying to decide just what was going on. The sun, as it did yesterday, beat down on his this morning, as early as it was.

"Simple," Akino led his horse a few steps forwards and through the threshold of the village. Many more villagers had now gathered and were talking amongst themselves as the watched the military genius march through their gate. Some talked about the size of the man, others his fancy outfit and the many many medals. Some asked simply, as Suito, what was going on. Akino got off of his horse and landed on the ground, on his two feet, with a loud impact. The man, well over six feet, towered over Suito and any other villager for that matter. He was a good six foot four and had to be over two hundred pounds of pure muscle. He took heavy steps forward until he was only a couple of feet away from his subordinate. Suito, as he was trained, stood tall, but ignorant to the situation, remained very intimidated and did his best not to tremble in front of his leader.

"The revolution is a movement to unite the world," Akino spoke loudly, earning the attention of everyone, both his men and the villagers of Jitoya. "Our forces unite the cities and villages through common nationality, trade, and government in an attempt to give our world a single governing power and a world united as a nation, united as a common people, as one family, striving together to succeed and overcome any circumstance." The villagers began to talk amongst themselves once more. Many mentioned the name of Ira Batsu, the elder chief of the village, and what he would say or think. Many pondered what he would do in the situation if he were here, and they all assumed that he and Akino would meet face to face at one point.

"Citizens of Jitoya, your time is now," Akino continued. "You see, this movement has expanded from our main port of Hiro, and has expanded down the Etsuai and now, led us to your village of Jitoya. From here, we will continue our expansion, and our recruitment."

"Recruitment?" Suito asked.

"Yes, of course. You all will see the benefits of our Revolution and of our Unity Act. Our military power and our.. Rich offerings will bring this wolrd together. We are willing to help all those nations and colonies in need and all we ask for is commitment to our just cause." Akino put his hand the Suito's shoulder and gazed out at all of the villagers. "As part of our forces, you would be taken care of. Your families would be paid well and taken care of, and you would be a part of the greatest world-wide peace movement this planet has ever known. A member of the Blood Moon military, a soldier of the highest decree, and a true man to your word."

"All those willing and capable, we ask for you to join in our movement. We ask for your assistance as we embark on a worldwide journey, an epic adventure, traveling for unity and for peace." The villagers were silent at first, and then began to bustle with each other once more. Some seemed to approve, others seemed hesitant, a few didn't really even seem to care. The opinions were mixed and Suito's was no different. He knew the Revolution and had been a part of it since his days back where he was born and raised. When he had moved out here, he had traveled and joined the military in order to help his mother and father financially.

Now, this military was here, shadowing over his own home, and they weren't taking no for an answer.

"The army is also looking for those skilled in the art of ninjutsu," Akino added. Suito's eyes opened. He knew who they meant. "The one born from the Taregosu clan has been requested to join our forces. Her father, Taregosu Sun was a living legend and a proud fighter both for freedom and peace, and was a detrimental piece to our platoon during the Koroko ambush. His sacrifice allowed for the main fleet to survive, and we owe him our lives." The villagers began to speak of Taregosu Sun and what a great man he was, both as a fighter and a villager, a friend to them.

"The last of his clan, Taregosu Maya, has been talked of as an exceptional follower to their clan and to their arts, and Sun's last wish was for her to see the world." Suito's eyes darkened. He knew what they wanted. "She will join our forces and carry the Taregosu legend throughout the world. All those who wish to contribute to our push for peace, step forth now. We will tell you of our plans and of our dreams!" Akino's men marched forward through the entrance of the village and, by now, over half of the village was here, watching, listening, and now asking questions to the militia men about the Revolution.

Suito was still held at the shoulder by Arius Akino and could only watch as the hundreds of soldiers made their way through the town, talking to the residents and telling them all of the great things about the military. Sure, he didn't argue with them, but he was afraid one person might..

..the one they wanted.

* * *

Maya opened her front door and stepped out onto the dirt path leading to her front gate. Iris perched on their shoulder, they both looked towards the right as she reached behind her and closed the door. "Look at that," she whispered in amazement. She saw what seemed to be the entire village by the entrance. The tiptoed from her house onto the main road of the village and tiptoed towards the scene, trying to get a better view. She saw a swirl of colors but couldn't clearly make them out.

"Seems like a pretty big thing, goin' on over dere," Iris stated. Maya nodded her head.

"I want to get a better view. You stay back here." Iris responded with a squawk and flew into a tree closer to the mass of people, and well out of sight.

Maya edged closer and closer to the crowd until she was eventually on the border of it. She saw many more men than women and she pushed her way through the crowds at the entrance of Jitoya. Though the village only resided a few hundred, it truly was as if everyone was here, watching this event unfold. She wanted to know what all this fuss was about. Such an uproar was seldom found across these parts and despite the overbearing heat of the morning, she was all shivers and goosebumps for this. For some reason, something here was very, very off.

"I wonder what's going on. It's not like-" and she stopped her thoughts when she caught eye of a man standing amongst the crowd with Suito at his side. The man stood tall, standing out amongst the others with his red, gold-lined cloack and jacket and his slew of medallions decorated along his chest plate. Behind his were more men, standing amongst the crowd, also in red uniforms. Many of them. Her eyes opened wider; she realized who they were. Memories of her brother and father hit her hard. These were those men they spoke of, the men they feared. This was the revolution, _here,_ at _her_ home. What did they want with her home? Why did they want with.. With.. Her?

It was then when her eyes met Suito's, and then the general's. Akino's hazel eyes mixed and swirled with the different colors of the spectrum; all dawned at Maya. She felt her breathing pick up and the adrenaline rush in her body. Somehow, she knew why they were here. She knew the only thing to do was to run for it.

She snuck back into the center of the crowd and as the bustle of people pushed and shoved to greet the general, Akino lost sight of the last blood Taregosu as she drifted in and out of the pandemonium, and eventually behind the nearby tree where Iris had perched.

"What's cookin', rawk?!" Iris fluttered down to her shoulder. Her breathing had picked up even more as she could barely speak under her intense breaths.

"We have to run," was all she could muster as she took off down the path towards her home, hoping she would be unnoticed. Iris could only squawk as he tried desperately to keep up.

"She will be a fine asset to our pursuit," Akino said, tapping Suito's shoulder. Suito's eyes dimmed as he was able to see Maya get away, though he wouldn't tell this to his superior. "She's our ticket to a complete and effective Revolution." Suito's eyes looked up at Akino, unsure of his words, then his eyes trailed back to the path she had previously ran down.

"Maya.."

"What are we running from?" Iris asked, squawking and chirping away as Maya rummaged through her house, grabbing scroll after scroll, emergency containers with clothing and food for such a catastrophe.

"The Blood Moon, they're here. They're.." she tossed the last scroll in her bag, catching her breath and her composure. "They're here for me."

"You? Please, why on earth would dey be here for ya'?"

"My ninjutsu," she tried to explain as fast as she could. "They'd use my power as a weapon of defense on the front line." She ran over to the mirror and grab the purple heart locket from her dresser, the one she neglected to wear earlier; her most prized possession, left to her by her father. "I'm not stupid, Iris. The front line in any defense is a death wish. They're looking to unravel my family's legacy and eliminate the threat of a coup d'etat."

"Sounds serious," he retorted. "But where are we gonna go? Dere ain't many places to hide from da military power of da Blood Moon."

"Wherever we can go," she responded, throwing the last of her things into her bag. "Wherever we can hide. You and the rest of the summons and I, we can all help each other." She tried to calm herself, reassuring herself of her safety. "We can get through this, I know we can, Iris. Trust me, please."

"Maya," he responded quietly, "You have all of your father's great qualities. I have all the faith in the world in ya'. If it's for your safety, well then, I owe you my life."

She smiled. "Thanks, Iris." She turned and gasped as she peered out the window, and the crowd of people began to disperse about the town, and a good number of militia made their way to her house. Just then, a knock at her door.

"Time for us to go," Iris shouted. "Let's blow dis joint."

"Wait, no!" She turned back towards her door and in the direction of the front door. There was one person she wanted it to be.. Someone she believed, in her heart, it was. "Suito-kun," she whispered as she threw her bag to the floor and bolted towards the front door. She nearly tripped over tables and chairs as she made her way to the front hallway. Balancing herself on the side table in the parlor, she knocked over the family portrait sitting on the table, where it was constantly admired. She nearly tripped into the front door as she flung it open, braving her nerves and anxieties, and as she saw Suito standing there, his eyes on hers, she just wanted to break down and cry. The same young man that had always held her close, the one that had always told her he loved her, the one she was to marry.. Now, now he was the one that, in a way, she now had to run from.

She clutched at his shirt, about ready to sob in his arms "Suito, my love. Please tell me this is all a dream, please tell me things aren't as they seem."

His eyes were cold.

"Suito, please!" She now gripped at him tighter. "Please!" His once loving gaze was now cold, quiet, and commited _not_ to her. He felt terrible inside, though no words could reach his lips.

"Suito, I love you. Suito, please, run away with me. Please!" she pleaded, tears now flowing furiously. "Please, let's get away from this together, we can live together, we can get far away and have a beautiful life! We can get married, share our love with each other, please! Suito, we can spend our days together, have a family, isn't that you wanted?! Suito, darling, please!!" Her cries fell more and more on deaf ears. "Suito, please…"

He gripped his bag in his hand tighter as his other hand now rest in the doorway. His future, his dreams now barricaded by his teary-eyed lover. He leaned forward and planted a kiss onto her forehead. Her eyes shot open and she gasped quietly under her breath. Kissing her was all he could do.

"Maya, I'm.." he paused a moment, knowing the delay was not going to help his words any better. "I'm sorry, Maya."

She froze in place. "Suito.." she whispered, trembling. She was at a loss of words. Fright was taking her over and she felt her knees begin to buckle. She saw the militia approaching behind Suito behind the road. He turned with he saw her pale face and saw the General coming in his direction. He quickly turned to her, his eyes now as worried and panicked as hers.

"Maya, run." he said, his voice quivering. "Get away from here. You're going to die if you don't."

"Suito, don't leave me!"

"Go!"

He pushed her back into the door and, shrieking in distress, she turned and ran back to her quarters. Tears in his eyes, he watched as his true love now left him.. No… she wasn't leaving.. He already had..

"Maya, I'm sorry," he confessed, turning his head, keeping it low and from anyone's view as he let the tears of regret flow like a rampant river.

"Maya," Iris started only to have Maya blow right past him, grabbing her bag furiously, tears streaming, and she quickly peered out of her window.

"Let's go," was all she could manage. She clasped her hands together and was able to replicate herself into the outside tree, replacing her body with a branch. Iris caught on and flew himself out of the window over to her. She quick put together some hand signs and placed her palms firmly on the tree branch.

Suito had finally gained his composure as he turned to face his superior when, suddenly, he heard a slight boom, and, turning back towards the apartment, he saw a puff of smoke emitting from the back. The only thing he could see was a giant eagle, glorious and golden, soar from the trees behind the complex at incredible speed, not looking back as it disappeared slowly over the horizon.

"Maya," he whispered, coughing her name through his final tears. Suito slowly walked away from the house as two scouts ran in, searching the place for signs of life, signs of the one they seeked.

"Was the Taregosu girl here?" one asked. Suito sighed to himself and shook his head, still tearing.

"No," he replied. "I, I never got to say good-bye," he confessed in a heart-felt lie.

"I'm sorry, cadet." the scout nodded, patting Suito on the shoulder as the second scout came back from the inside of the house. One of the platoons sargeants approached the house, wondering what all the ruckus was about.

"Anything here, cadet?" He asked, inspecting the hallway of the home for himself. Suito merely shook his head as the scout responded.

"No, sir." The Cadet's answer was accurate and painful to Suito's ears. The weary-eyed sargeant took heavy steps around the living room of the apartment. He inspected the area once more, and again, nothing significant could be found.

"Two live here, sir. The older woman is of no threat to the revolution." The man walked over to the photograph on the table and lifted gently a small picture of a once-beautiful family of foud, now separated, split far apart between lives, between worlds.

"The one we look for… the last with the Taregosu blood… is still out there." The sargeant sighed to himself, knowing that Akino would let him have it for Maya's escape. "Oh well, not for long. Her assistance in our movement is most required, and we will have her be a part of our Revolution. It will be inevitable." He stepped out of the doorway, and back towards the road to report to Akino. Suito waited for everyone else to have left. He grabbed the picture of the Taregosu family and held it to his chest, hugging it firmly. This was the last hug of her he would have.

… And Taregosu Maya would have none of it, as she sobbed on the back of the great eagle, which flew for hours and hours, along the Etsuai, her dreams washed away like the current of a changing, ravaging river..

… in a changing, ravaging time.

* * *

**To Be Continued..**

Chapter Three- Betrayal- Date TBD


	3. Betrayal

**Disclaimer- This is based in Naruto universe, even though all content is original. So therefore, I don't COMPLETELY own this story--please support the official Naruto product.**

Skye's note: I'm back! I know, i know, it's been well over a year since I've updated.. not gonna lie, Life took over, but recently I've been struck with motivation to write again and this story, well, getting back into it was first thing on the list--I really hope you'll enjoy this adventure.. You know I love hearing from everyone and, since it's been a while, would love to hear from you all again. Hope you enjoy Chapter Three of "Silenced" and hope you stick around for what's to come!!!

**Remember- This is a prequel to "Risen", using a continent, characters, and twist on the story that are completely mine and were written out in outline about two years ago, so, if anything came up in the real story that might make anything in this story a stretch, well, whoops XD**

* * *

**Chapter Three- The Tragedy of Taregosu Maya**

**Betrayal**

The morning dew grazed the green of the willow tree early that morning. An early, summer breeze made its way over the plains and all around, in each direction, the hills and valleys were silent, whispering only in the grass the songs of green blades and inhabitants creeping and crawling along their dirt roads. The sun crept up from the East, peering over the landscape, gently touching the eyes of the young girl, resting beneath the willow. She seemed comfortable in her foreign surrounding, unaware of the change in reality as her eyes softly twitched and fluttered open, greeted by the soft rays of a midsummer's crisp morning.

Next to her, the soft squawk and whisper of a nearby friend caused her to roll over onto her back and stare straight up, into the spiraling leaves and branches of the magnificent tree shading her, protecting her from the outside. Rubbing her eyes furiously, she regained her sight as she looked up into the willow and away from the sun. To her right, she could see her companion, Iris, perched on a portion of the trunk that stood out, chirping and whistling to himself as his Master awoke.

"Good to see yer in one piece, kid." He squawked, flapping his wings as to stretch them out some. Maya offered a slight smile as she sat up and pivoted herself on her hands and turned to sit facing him. She knew she wasn't completely with it right now, in fact, she didn't have much of a care at the moment of where she was. Seeing Iris, though, made her feel much more comfortable. The little parrot hopped down onto grass and, turning his head about, whistled once more before hopping over to Maya's side. She reached out with her right arm and her friend jumped right on and perched himself around her wrist.

"Iris, you're okay," she whispered, happy to see him healthy. She closed her eyes and, in that brief moment, the recent events flashed into mind. The army, Suito, the escape.. it was all too painfully clear. The last thing she remember was crying to herself as she flew away..

"_Flew away,_" she thought. "Iris!" She shouted, causing Iris to squawk once more and chirp out. Maya's excited tone of voice was a bit loud for her feathered friend as he shook his head momentarily in recovery. "Where's Tengo? Is he alright?"

"Rawk! Calm down, kid, calm down." He repeated. "You really think sumthin would happen to dat big dope o'yours? He's outside da willow sleeping away. We've been taking toins watchin you, makin sure you're okay." Maya turned her head towards a slight opening in the willow leaves, a small opening facing out towards the sunrise, as if a previous adventurer had made this their home before. Quietly, she got to her feet and, stumbling the first couple of steps, made her way towards the drapes of the willow. The wind was crisp and cool, and very light against her skin. She felt the dew of the morning along the bottom of her feet. It was almost soothing, calming to the very touch, and as she reached out for the willow leaves and pulled them aside, the dew from the hanging leaves soon fell from their rest from the top of the vines and blessed her with a calming yet, chilling shower. The dew drops lightly beat down upon her now wavy hair and her bare, pale forehead. Iris chirped behind her, hopping backwards, away from the droplets.

As Maya looked up, outside the shaded realm of the great willow, did she see the new, open outside world for herself. She peered out into the East, the sun rising ever so slowly over the horizon to greet her this morning and, along the journey, vast, open plains, a mix of golden and green, painting the land. Dividing these plains, a river flowing towards her from the east and emptying into a beautiful little lake before opening up again, closer to her, and flowing down a brook. She let her eyes follow the brook and, as her eyes trailed it to the left, towards the north, it suddenly disappeared over a tall hill, the edge tipped with rock and stone. The steam and spray of the water plummeting down the cliff side smoked back up and this beautiful waterfall emptied out and continued its journey northward, far into the distance.

"Is.." she thought to herself, the river familiar to her. She now eyed the village now in sight, far into the north, settled right along the river, surrounded by the vast, endless plains. "Is this the..?"

"The Etsuai?" Iris finished her question for her. "You bet it is. We really didn't want to go too far off track, Maya. It's a big world out dere, and me an Tengo thought it would be safer if we flew you high along the river. We passed a few villages along the way but we thought you'd be safer up here, underneath da willow at the top of the waterfall," he chirped and whistled again and flew up to her shoulder, sitting himself there so her could enjoy the view along with her.

"It's beautiful," Maya continued to let her mind wander, not wanting to think of the reality, of yesterday. She was too tired to even begin to think of yesterday, and every time it seemed to slip into her mind, she tried to fight it, to ignore it. She _knew_ this wasn't the best thing to be doing, but she couldn't get herself to care enough. She could barely care for _anything_ at this point. She was all too.. emotionless.

"Suito.." she whispered, reminding herself once more.

"Hey Maya," Iris spoke up, trying to get her mind off of the inevitable. "It's a new morning, why don't you head over to that lake and take a dive, ya know, clear your mind. We might have a long day ahead of us. Me and Tengo will keep guard, don't worry," with that she looked back towards and lake and, this time, hidden in the tall, golden grass of the plains, she found her friend, the great golden eagle, hiding in the shrubbery, sleeping away.

"Poor Tengo," she whispered to himself. "He must be exhausted."

"We all are," Iris replied. "Nothing to worry about, we all had da rough day yesterday."

Maya nodded her head in agreement, frowning over yesterday again. Suito again. The thought of him telling her to flee or die. She could only imagine what may have become of him. Had his superiors punished him? Why did they send him to her, or did they even? Did he come on his own to warn her? He must have! Why would the army want to kill her? So many thoughts and questions fluttered about her mind that she simply couldn't put focus to any of them. Perhaps that dip in the lake would be the best remedy after all…

* * *

Even the early morning sun was brutal, though not nearly as brutal as what lay across the river.

"Momoka!" the raspy voice from across the town echoed over to her. She could see in the distance the heads turning to the familiar figure shouting, and she found their heads shaking rather amusing. She let a small smile creep up on her lips and she shook her head, closing her eyes, sighing and acknowledging the call. She held up her right hand and flashed three fingers in understanding that she would soon return home, and she watched as the figure in the distance understood and stepped back into the elongated house.

Momoka was surrounded by the dirt, dust, carts, soot, ore, and heat of another day at the mines, and she took a moment to look up at the clear blue sky, just out of the direct view of the sun. Peering up, squinting, she wiped her brow with her dirtied hand and followed up with a quick swig of water from her canteen. She took the remaining water and held it up over her head. She leaned forward and let the water gush from the bottle and into her short, icy blue hair. It were moments like this that the young girl was happy with her short, spiky, boyish hair, though, as tomboy as she was, it was quite understandable anyway. After furiously shaking her head back and forth to fling the rest of the water from her, she wiped her now dirt-dripping hands onto her overalls.

She sighed to herself and again, wiping the mixture of sweat and water from her forehead with her dirtied forearm. Her short, blue hair now had the advantage over most girls her age because of the blistering temperatures throughout the summer. Every so often, she would find it ironic that a rough, fiery cut like that would, of course, be in such a calm and collected shade, but such was Tsubito Momoka, calm and collected, herself, but very hard-working, enjoying herself doing what many would say was a "man's job", but enjoying every minute of it.

"Hey, short stuff!" a much closer, and far stronger voice bellowed out from behind her. She quickly turned around and saw the Boss, the manager of the Zanasu Mining Team, towering over her with his big, goofy grin. Boss (as Momoka didn't ever bother to ask his _real_ name) was a man quite literally larger than life; He stood almost seven feet tall, and was quite the robust fellow, though it never slowed him down. He was as in shape as he had ever been.

Momoka, merely a fraction of his size, looked up at him in his plaid shirt and overalls, the same style of clothing he had always worn. She had often wondered just how many outfits he had like this..

"Taking a break, little lady?"

"Pfft, I ain't no lady," she bent down and picked up the filled bucket of pebbles, struggling at first but managing to lift it and balance herself with the added fifteen pounds. "Ladies don't like to get dirty.." she paused a moment, then scratched her head. "Well, not _ALL_ the time.. At least, that's what papa says."

"Bah, ha ha ha!!" Boss laughed, picking up on her father's humor, though leaving the teenager in front of him quite confused. "You're a trip, Momo. It's always fun to have you around." He pat her on the back, which was intimidating enough for her that Boss didn't know his own strength, but also considering the fact that his giant right hand had nearly palmed her back!

"Actually, Boss, papa's callin' me home now, so I really reckon I should split. That alright with you?" Her matching blue eyes gazing up into the giant's black orbs. He closed his eyes in a giant smile.

"Oh, of course you can, ha ha ha! You've done a good enough job for today, Momoka. I'm proud of you." He pat her on the back once more and, with his left hand, he took the bucket from her between his thumb and index fingers. "You know," he continued on. "I've been the head of these mines for ten years now, ever since my grand pappy handed it down to me. And I've had plenty of men come through here and work their asses off mining coal, ore, and other metals from this mine, keepin' our town afloat in these tough times. You're a special one, Momo. I don't recall ever having a girl join this work team, let alone one who has worked as hard as you. You should be proud of yourself. Ha ha ha!"

A smirk escaped Momoka's lips, as she took the compliment in full stride. "Why, thank you Boss! I do what I can," she said confidently as she started away from him and towards the bridge connecting the mining area from the rest of the town. "After all, Boss" the giggled to herself in what was probably the most feminine thing she had done all day, "I'm not just some ordinary lady." She turned and took off, waving her arm back in the giant's direction. "See ya', Boss!"

"See ya' later, kid!" His voice seemed to carry for miles. He returned her wave and then, just as quickly, turned and did what he did best.

"Alright, you filthy dogs!" He shouted as loud as he could into the mines. "Breakin' Time!"

* * *

The water was certainly refreshing.

Maya waded in the gentle stillness of a nearby lake, a mere few hundred meters from her resting spot. The cool current cleansed her body and mind and she just allowed herself the time to survey her surroundings. The lake pooled off around small steppes, hills, and valleys, and, continuing south were her friends, perches along the highest hill on the perimeter, keeping close eye on her as well as anyone who may be straying a bit too close. Maya smiled as she looked up at them, and allowed a quick laugh to escape her lips as it appeared as though Iris has been guarding her clothes with his life. She was fortunate to know such wonderful an-… no, people, in her life. Her clan _was_ the master of summoning techniques, after all, and she never really had encountered anything less than the best of the best.

Tengo sighed heavily as he watched her dive into the waters. He had no _real_ understanding of human nature, though he thought it was nice to see Maya be more In touch with the nature around her, even though she had slowly begun to lose touch with it little by little in recent years.

"It's amazing what a few things can do to the mind.." he added, loud enough for his flying counterpart to hear him. Iris stopped hopping about and looked up towards his much larger friend, squawking in agreement.

"We have it easy," Tengo added to his smaller counterpart. "We haven't been factors in battle and war, and here we sit, on the brink of it, talking up a storm. Our ancestors have really given us so many things we take for granted."

"Yeah, you're right," responded the little parrot. "We've been living in peace with dese humans all our lives, you think nothin' could ever go wrong, but now it looks like it might. You think Sun saw dis day comin'?"

Tengo lifted his head and gazed over at Maya, who was silently treading water, surveying everything around her. "Sun was a powerful man, and a great friend. There was noone else quite like him. He was in control of all five elements, and had pacts with hundreds of our kind."

"It seems as though every time you talk about him, dat number grows. It's probably all true, though." Iris chirped. "He was even powerful enough to tame da great Bijuu's of the planet. It's a shame he lost all of dem. But it was safety this and peace treaty dat and offering whatever! Dese uppers are so paranoid of war dat dey actually start it themselves. And poor Maya over dere," Iris's voice dimmed, as if she could potentially hear him. "She's da last of her kind in dese parts."

"It's a damn shame," said Tengo. "The poor girl loses her Brother and Father, and now her home and her romance. She's in a place that's foreign to even us, and she's on the run from this… this movement that's trying to take over the bloody world. All of the great Summoners are being killed off, one by one. And poor Rame and Sun, merely escaping the attack on Koroko, only to be struck down in Kelios, mere Kilometers from the original battle. They never had a chance. They were horribly outnumbered."

"As we are today," Iris finished. "We just gotta keep in dere and keep our heads up, just like Maya is…"

Maya was barely keeping her own head above the surface. She was growing tired with each tread in the water and, after a few moments of keeping still, finally decided that enough was enough, and she swam herself over to the nearest bank, were she could safely plant her feet and stand shoulder-deep in the lake. The glow from her eyes was long gone, the cheerful disposition and posture of this girl known for her care-free attitude seemingly lost. Taregosu Maya was far from content with this sudden lifestyle, and, frankly, she hadn't the slightest of what to do about it. She was too far removed from crying, and yet, crying seemed like the only thing she felt she needed to do, even though she knew it wouldn't accomplish too much. Her mind raced… Suito, her mother, her late father and brother, her home, Taguchi, everything she had left behind.

She continued to stare into the bed of grass and flowers a few meters out in front of her, blinking back on occasion the horrible memories of the afternoon before, not giving all too much attention on the now, or even the soon ahead… all she thought were the hundreds of images of her past, flashing in her mind as rampant as a summer storm.

"I feel… so alone," were the only words she could muster at this time, the silence surrounding her much like the occasional breeze or the soothing waters around her pure body. She felt a single chill as the gentle wind danced along the back of her neck, causing her to shiver and decide that this was enough water for one day.

As afternoon gave way into evening, the chills came by more constantly as the once-warm breezes now gusted freely over the plains. Back underneath the shelter of the willow, Maya had made herself at home to the best of her abilities. Carved into the side of the tree, a small fire lit her vine-draped quarters, dancing ever so daintily in the night. Every so often she would glance back at the flame, as if she didn't trust her own chakra anymore and that she would create the next heated disaster.

Maya placed a basket, filled with berries, nuts, and other fruits from nearby trees, down on a large, flat rock under the tree. She sat beside it and, almost involuntary, plucked a berry from the basket and placed it to her lips. After about four or five, she stopped, her eyes still fixed on nothingness, staring ahead at the grassy fields that seemed to extend for as far as she could see in the night. Around her, a multitude of animals bustled about, preparing a bed, cooking a fine meal over a fire, keeping guard. Her daydreaming gaze was finally broken with two stalks of herbs were shaken in front of her face. She blinked twice and peered over her left should as Gideon, a little white rabbit, held the spices in his mouth, his nose all a-twitch. Maya smiled to the sight and, without speaking, motioned him over to the side of the tree, where a couple more baskets were place, each with something else to offer on this sudden excursion. As Gideon hopped on over, another familiar critter pointed him out to where the herbs belonged. It was Kuro, a black bear cub, who was laying against the tree beside the baskets, keeping guard on of the south. Iris, as usual, to her right, facing the north as he was earlier. Tobi, a neon-green snake, wrapped himself around the branch above Maya, guarding the east and west.

It had been a while since she had truly thought of those around her and how they've treated her, and even longer since she truly appreciated it. She had been caught up the multiple "moments": Suito, her mother, her job, that she had, for a while, really lost touch with many of these animals that have continuously been a part of her life. Whether they were summoned frequently or not, they always went about their duty and always remained supportive of her. The ones she kept near and dear to her the most, Iris, Tengo, and Gideon, never bragged, nor did the others ever complain. There are about thirty others not with her now that wouldn't complain, not that Maya ever truly forgot them. Maybe, Maya thought, as she grew up, things became more important.

"Pssh," she scoffed to herself, speaking for the first time in hours. Iris looked back towards her for a second to check if everything was alright. "Growing up.." she whispered to herself, questioning those words thoroughly. What _was_ growing up? She had a love life on the brink of marriage, _that_ was responsibility. She had a job and was making good money. She was a supportive and helpful daughter, especially after losing two immediate family members.. How could she not have grown up..?

"Leaving home is hard at any age, regardless of how or why you did," Iris squawked, reading into the situation. Maya did not glance his way as he continued. "You're still learning a lot about da' hardships of life and, let's face it, before da' war, you ain't had many." He whistled as his floated himself over to the rock to sit beside her, she finally looked down upon him and, with a smile, ran her finger across the standing feather atop his head. "Growing up is workin' with what ya' dealt. Sometime we don't always get da' best hand."

"It'sss what you make of the sssituation that makesss you who you are," Tobi whispered above her. "I've crawled my own out of many troublesss, and for each one, it makesss you a ssstronger perssson."

"I know!" Maya snapped back, feeling like she was being lectured. Were they right though? As far as she can remember, Maya had a great life, and really had no troubles or true scares as a child. She was always protected, always cared for, always…

Sheltered.

* * *

Momoka sipped her tea at the end of a long table in the middle of a ballroom. At the other end of the table, her father was negotiating another sale with a customer.

"Alright," her father said with great confidence, even though his voice was naturally shaky and scratchy. "Check out is at the noon bell tomorrow. If you choose to stay an extra day, I'll give you a nice discount on the second night."

"That's okay," replied the other man, sunglasses on, suitcase in hand. "I've got to make it to Hiro in three days.

"Hiro? Why, that's a couple hundred miles away. Are you certain you can get yourself there in time?"

"I have my ways," the man in the shades responded with a smirk. The innkeeper merely shrugged and had the guest sign the paper, and the deal was done. After a firm handshake, the guest grabbed his other bag from the floor and made his way out of the ballroom. Momoka was now twirling her finger in the soup that was made for her, obviously bored. She hated having to help out around the house (and the business), but she knew father knew best, and, if she wanted to keep all of her "outside-the-house" privileges, she would listen.

"Papa, why do I have to clean all the empty rooms today? Have you seen the weather, it's gorgeous out!"

"Momo, honey, sacrifice is part of every job. You know your mother and I can't do it by ourselves." He smiled. "You know, you should be thankful. The Tutari family next town over has a business with _twenty_ rooms. Be happy we only have 6. And I'm only asking you to clean one or two of the four empty ones! Your mother and I will help with the others, and the faster we get this done, the faster you can go do whatever it is you want to do."

"Well, I reckon I can get mine done before y'all even lift a pail," she said confidently, banging her fist onto the table, shaking the cup and spilling the tea onto the floor, the result of the mess she stared at for a few seconds before nervously looking back to her father, who was tapping his foot at the situation. Father Tsubito was not one to get mad. Instead, he would show his only child where she got her witty statements from.

"I'll get you that pail…"

* * *

"You look down, boy," were the only words of support Arius Akino would offer. Suito was beside himself, not even thinking of moving his eyes towards his commander, but the intimidating figure would have none of this defiance, as he continued to pester his cadet. "Come now, Kenzaburo. Why the long face?"

"It's _Kakamei_," Suito responded. "The name Kenzaburo is dead to me.. And you know DAMN well why I'm upset." He clenched his fists tightly, keeping his gaze from going across the table to Akino, focused instead on the floor to his right. At the other end of the table, Arius sipped contently at his tea.

"Your father was a great thinker," explained Akino, setting his teacup down. "And a greater fighter. You must realize that his sacrifice was for the benefit of the Blood Moon."

"He betrayed and left me and my mother, how could I possibly forgive him for what he has done?" argued Suito. "I refuse to carry his name with me, and yet, you consistently remind me of him."

"Because _you_ remind me of _him,_" Akino continued. "So agile, so talented, so quick to put your past behind you and understand that sacrifices have to made." He lifted his cup again and, this time, Suito looked over at him. "You have been with us for a few months now, cadet, and your skills are already shining through. Just because your mother requested you join us doesn't mean you haven't made the same sacrifices and choices as your father. You've up and left the village all the same, and, all the same, leaving behind something you've cherished so."

The general's words were seeking in. Was Suito really a silhouette of his father? No, it couldn't be.. His father left home greedy for power, looking for strength and wealth. Suito, himself, had left to get stronger, to be able to protect the ones he loved.. Was he now hurting them by not being there?

… not being there… 'Maya', he thought. 'Where are you right now..?'

"Don't concern yourself with that girl," Akino said, reading into his young soldier's thoughts. "We'll see her soon enough. Her powers are too great, she can be a driving force in our movement. Think of all the wondrous things her and her summons can do for rebuilding our civilizations! Why, the very thought of her under our command is breathtaking!"

Suito looked away again, his thoughts drifting between his mother, his father, his lover, and his duties. Just what _has_ he sacrificed? And at what cost? He joined the Blood Moon to boost his own strength, not conquer the world. That's all that seemed to be important to Akino, it was like a chess match. Strategic move this and sacrifice that. Where was the civility in life anymore? When did he even begin to follow someone else's path instead of his own? Even now, in his own town, Kakamei Suito was lost.

"Well, boy, rest up," Akino said, standing up and stretching his arms far above his head. "We've got a lot of ground to cover. We have a rendezvous at Zanasu in three days, and by that point, our conquest of the Etsuai River should be nearly complete. You wouldn't want to miss such a glorious occasion, am I right?"

"No," Suito shook his head, submissively. "I guess not."

"It's settled then," Akino nodded confidently as he wrapped his coat around his shoulder and started out of the tent. "Oh, and Suito," he said calmly, opposite his direction. Suito looked over at the knieving general, but not verbally responding. Akino, after a pause, took his cue.

"I am offering a handsome reward for the recruiting of Taregosu Maya. As I had mentioned, her powers should be the culminating glory of our mission. Certainly enough to support you and your mother for the rest of your lives. That.. IS part of why you're here, is it not?"

Suito could not believe the words he was hearing from his superior..

"Just something to mull over," Akino continued, lifting the flap to the tent as the breeze quickly made its way through the makeshift room. "It would give you the chance to see her again, if you think about it. You two, working side by side, together as you want to be. I know you miss her.. That's why it's so important that we.." he smirked. "Find her."

Suito remained silent, trying to piece together his thoughts like a jigsaw. Was this really happening?

"Good night, Cadet."

* * *

_Day Two,_

_I've traveled with Tengo along the river, north into the dry Plains and towards the small town in the middle of a desert-like setting. This must be Zanasu, the mining capital of the South. My father traveled here a long time ago, mentioned an inn along the main road of the town. Maybe I can hide out there for a day or two, get some actual rest, meet some people. Hopefully the Movement has not yet made their way here. After a couple of days, I should be able to move Eastward or westward away from the Etsuai… away from home…_

Taregosu closed the book gently, leaving her ink-quill pen bookmarking her first writing of this journey. She was always a vivid writer, and she swore to herself she would record her thoughts and feelings along this journey, since she had little faith in meeting a person along the road who would make a difference to her. As far as she was concerned, her animal companions were all she had. After a moment of pondering these thoughts, she once again opened to that first page, and, with a heartfelt sigh, scribbled in the last sentence, her true love clearly in mind.

_Trust no one…_


End file.
